SCOTTISH Labour deputy leader Anas Sarwar has called for a Leveson-style inquiry into employment blacklisting, as his party sought to reach out to trade unionists.
The MP said firms must never again be able to conspire to block workers who had raised health and safety concerns or were involved in trade union activity.
Westminster's Scottish Affairs Committee issued a report last week condemning a "systematic blacklist" used by some major construction companies.
The agency which compiled the list was closed down in 2009.
However, speaking during a question-and-answer session at the Scottish Labour conference in Inverness, Mr Sarwar said: "We saw an inquiry on Leveson (on press ethics), I don't think anything less would do.
"We have to have a full inquiry into what happened to workers to make sure it doesn't happen again.
"We need a full inquiry into those ugly years when so many workers were treated like that."
Speaking at the same event, Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont called for a review of legislation considered anti-trade union.
Their comments came as Labour MPs and MSPs reached out to the trades unions after Pat Rafferty, the leader of Unite in Scotland, said they would not be "bounced" into taking sides in the independence debate.
Unions have called on all parties to set out policies to protect workers rights, drive up pay and promote "economic justice".
On Saturday, Labour delegates passed a motion supporting the principle of universal benefits, a move welcomed by unions leaders.
In his closing speech to the conference, Mr Sarwar launched an angry attack on the SNP, accusing the Nationalists of failing to address the impact of Conservative policies for political reasons.
He said: "Let's not kid ourselves about their desire to see a Tory Government returned to Westminster.
"For every poll that shows Ed Miliband in the lead, every poll that shows Labour winning the next General Election, is a blow to the independence hopes of Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon."
He added: "The SNP could act now but are choosing not too, in order to cynically further their cause of independence.
"And on the 'bedroom tax' – they hold the powers to deal with it now too. But no, not until after independence. Shameful."
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